Positioning mechanism for quick release device of slide assembly

ABSTRACT

A positioning mechanism for a quick release device of a slide assembly includes an opening in the rail and a positioning member located corresponding to the opening. The rail has a first contact portion adjacent to the opening which has an open potion and a reception portion communicating with the open portion. The positioning member includes a base, a resilient arm, a restriction portion and a second contact portion. The base is fixed to the rail. The resilient arm is connected between the base and the restriction portion. The restriction portion has a first contact end located corresponding to the reception portion. The second contact portion is connected to the restriction portion. An enclosed area is defined between the first contact end and the reception portion. The second contact portion contacts the first contact portion of the rail such that the first contact end is secured.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a positioning mechanism for a quickrelease device, and more particularly, to a positioning mechanism forquickly and securely connecting an instrument to a slide assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional positioning mechanism for quickly and securely connectingan instrument to a slide assembly generally includes a keyhole slotdefined in the rail of the slide assembly and a resilient member isfixed to the rail and located corresponding to the keyhole slot. Thekeyhole slot includes an enlarged hole and a narrow hole whichcommunicates with the enlarged hole. The resilient member extends to thekeyhole slot and covers the enlarged hole. When assembling theinstrument to the slide assembly, the fixing pin on one side of theinstrument is located corresponding to the keyhole slot and insertedinto the enlarged hole, and then the fixing pin is shifted into thenarrow hole and positioned by being biased by the resilient member, suchthat the instrument is connected to the rail. Generally, the railcompared with other rails of the slide assembly can be pulled out fromthe slide assembly and the rails are connected to the two sides of theinstrument in pairs. The instrument is connected to the slide assemblyon the rack so that the instrument is supported on the rack by the slideassembly.

However, when installing the instrument to the rack, the instrument ispulled out and pushed into the rack, or the vibration from the site, thefixing pin and the resilient member may have compact to each other. Ifthe resilient member cannot bear the impact, it is easily deformed andthe positioning function of the resilient member fails.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,604,307 to Greenwald et al. discloses a “telescopingslide assembly with quick-mount keyhole lock system” which provides apositioning hole for the resilient member so that when the fixing pin isinserted into the keyhole slot and shifted to a pre-set position, thefixing pin extends into the positioning hole and is well positioned.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,300 to kaminski et al. discloses a “rack assemblythat does not require tools for coupling chassis to slide”, wherein anend of the resilient member contacts against the fixing pin to bepositioned.

Obviously, the above-mentioned disclosures provide a positioning devicefor positioning the instrument or chassis to the slide assembly, but theproblem of the deformation of the resilient member and the potentialrisk to the resilient member are not resolved. Therefore, a betterdesign for avoiding the deformation of the resilient member under impactis necessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a positioning mechanism for a quickrelease device of a slide assembly and comprises a rail having anopening defined in the rail and a first contact portion located adjacentto the opening. The opening has an open potion and a reception portionwhich communicates with the open portion. A positioning member has abase, a resilient arm, a restriction portion and a second contactportion, wherein the positioning member is fixed to the rail by the baseand located corresponding to the opening. The resilient arm is connectedbetween the base and the restriction portion. The resilient arm ismovably away from the rail to change position of the restrictionportion. The restriction portion has a first contact end locatedcorresponding to the reception portion. The second contact portion isconnected to the restriction portion. An enclosed area is definedbetween the first contact end and the reception portion. The secondcontact portion contacts the first contact portion of the rail.

Preferably, the first contact portion is a hole or a recessed area, andthe second contact portion is a protrusion. The second contact portionis inserted into the first contact portion.

Preferably, the first contact portion is a protrusion and the secondcontact portion is a hole or a recessed area. The first contact portionis inserted into the second contact portion.

Preferably, the first contact portion is a protrusion and the secondcontact portion is a protrusion. The first contact portion contacts thesecond contact portion.

Preferably, the restriction portion has a bent plate.

Preferably, the bent plate has a second contact end and an operationend. The second contact end is located corresponding to the firstcontact end of the restriction portion and the operation end is locatedcorresponding to the second contact end.

Preferably, the bent plate has a protrusion located adjacent to theoperation end and a gap is defined between the protrusion and a surfaceof the restriction portion.

Preferably, a window is defined between the resilient arm and therestriction portion. The window is located corresponding to theoperation end of the bent plate.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a positioningmechanism for a quick release device wherein the structural strength ofthe resilient member is reinforced so as to prevent fail positioning.

The present invention will become more obvious from the followingdescription when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment inaccordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view to show the rail and the positioning memberof the positioning mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view to show the connection of the rail and thepositioning member, and the first contact relationship of a preferableembodiment of the positioning mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view to show the connection of the rail and thepositioning member, and the second contact relationship of a preferableembodiment of the positioning mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view to show the connection of the rail and thepositioning member, and the third contact relationship of a preferableembodiment of the positioning mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a preferable embodiment of the positioning member which hasa bent plate overlapped on the positioning member;

FIG. 6 shows a preferable embodiment of the positioning member which hasa bent plate in the form of a protrusion;

FIG. 7 shows a preferable embodiment of the positioning member which hasa window;

FIG. 8 shows a preferable embodiment of the connection of the rail andthe chassis;

FIG. 9 shows a preferable embodiment of the positioning of theconnection of the rail and the chassis, and

FIG. 10 shows a preferable embodiment of the installation member of thechassis being disengaged from the rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the positioning mechanism for a quickrelease device of a slide assembly of the present invention comprises arail 10 and a positioning member 12.

The rail 10 has at least two openings 14, 15 defined in the rail 10 anda first contact portion 16. The opening 14 includes an open potion 18and a reception portion 20 which communicates with the open portion 18.The opening 15 includes an open potion 19 and a reception portion 21which communicates with the open portion 19. The first contact portion16 is located adjacent to one of the openings 14, 15, for example,adjacent to the opening 14. In this embodiment, the open portions 18, 19are enlarged holes which are larger than the reception portions 20, 21.The reception portions 20, 21 are narrow holes which are smaller thanthe open portions 18, 19.

The positioning member 12 includes a base 22, a resilient arm 24, arestriction portion 26 and a second contact portion 28. The positioningmember 12 is fixed to the rail 10 by a connecting means. For example,the rail 10 has bosses 30 at the position where rivet holes 31 of thebase 22 are located so that the bosses 30 are riveted with the rivetholes 31. The positioning member 12 corresponds in position to theopening 14 of the rail 10. The resilient arm 24 is connected between thebase 22 and the restriction portion 26, and the resilient arm 24 ismovable away from the rail 10 to change position of the restrictionportion 26 relative to the opening 14 of the rail 10. The restrictionportion 26 has a first contact end 32 located corresponding to thereception portion 20 of the opening 14. The second contact portion 28 isconnected to the restriction portion 26. An enclosed area is definedbetween the first contact end 32 and the reception portion 20, and thesecond contact portion 28 contacts the first contact portion 16 of therail 10.

According to the above mentioned connection, the engagement between thefirst contact portion 16 of the rail 10 and the second contact portion28 of the positioning member 12 has three embodiments.

The first one is that the first contact portion 16 is a reception meanssuch as a hole or a recessed area. A hole is shown in the drawings. Thesecond contact portion 28 is a protrusion. The second contact portion 28is inserted into the first contact portion 16.

The second one is shown in FIG. 3, wherein the first contact portion 200is a protrusion, the second contact portion 202 of the positioningmember 12 is a reception means such as a hole or a recessed area. A holeis shown in the drawings. The first contact portion 200 is inserted intothe second contact portion 202.

The third one is shown in FIG. 4, wherein the first contact portion 300is a protrusion and the second contact portion 302 of the positioningmember 12 is also a protrusion. The first contact portion 300 contactsthe second contact portion 302.

As shown in FIG. 5, a preferable embodiment is shown, wherein therestriction portion 26 has a bent plate 34. Preferably, the bent plate34 has a second contact end 36 which is in alignment with the firstcontact end 32 of the restriction portion 26. The first and secondcontact ends 32 and 36 are located corresponding to the receptionportion 20 of the opening 14. The bent plate 34 has an operation end 38located corresponding to the second contact end 36 of the restrictionportion 26.

In a preferable embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the bent plate 34 has aprotrusion 40 located adjacent to the operation end 38 and a gap isdefined between the protrusion 40 and a surface of the restrictionportion 26 so that the user can insert a finger or a tool in the gap tocontact the operation end 38 to operate the restriction portion 26.

In a preferable embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, a window 42 is definedbetween the resilient arm 24 and the restriction portion 26, and thewindow 42 is located corresponding to the operation end 38 of the bentplate 34. The window 42 is convenient for operation of the user byinserting a finger or a tool in the window 42 to contact the operationend 38 to operate the restriction portion 26.

For an application similar to the present invention, a pair of rails arerespectively connected to two sides of a chassis such as a server,computer or storage unit. As shown in FIG. 8, there are multipleinstallation members 46 located on a side of the chassis 44 so as to beconnected with the rail 10. Each installation member 46 has a head 48and a body 50 which is connected to the head 48, wherein the diameter ofthe head 48 is larger than the diameter of the body 50, and smaller thanthe diameter of the open portions 18, 19 of the openings 14, 15 in therail 10. The diameter of the reception portions 20, 21 of the openings14, 15 in the rail 10 is larger than the diameter of the body 50 of theinstallation members 46, and smaller than the diameter of the head 48 ofthe installation members 46.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the heads 48 and the bodies 50 of theinstallation members 46 are directly inserted into the open portions 18,19 of the openings 14, 15 of the rail 10, and the bodies 50 are shiftedinto the reception portions 20, 21 of the openings 14, 15 and contactthe inside of the reception portions 20, 21. The first contact end 32 ofthe restriction portion 26 of the positioning members 12 and the secondcontact end 36 of the bent plate 34 are in contact with one of theinstallation members 46. One of the installation members 46 is incontact with the first and second contact ends 32 and 36 of thepositioning member 12 and located in the enclosed area defined by thepositioning member 12 and the reception portion 20. The installationmembers 46 are then restricted and cannot move. The second contactportion 28 of the positioning member 12 is inserted into the firstcontact portion 16 of the rail 10 and contacts the first contact portion16. The positioning member 12, relative to the rail 10, contacts againstthe first contact portion 16. When the impact from one of theinstallation members 46 is applied to the positioning member 12, thesecond and first contact portions 28, 16 receive the impact, and therestriction portion 26 and the resilient arm 24 are not overly deformed,so that the positioning member 12 is firmly secured relative to one ofthe installation members 46.

Furthermore, when viewing through the window 42 of the positioningmember 12, the user confirms the correct installation to one of theinstallation members 46. The window 42 also allows the user to move theresilient arm 24 of the positioning member 12 relative to the rail 10.

As shown in FIG. 10, when the resilient arm 24 of the positioning member12 is operated by the user and removed from the rail 10 an angle, therestriction portion 26 changes its position relative to the opening 14of the rail 10 and is separated from one of the installation members 46.The second contact portion 28 is removed from the first contact portion16 of the rail 10. In addition, the rail 10 has a hook 52 contacting theresilient arm 24 to control the resilient arm 24 not to be overly bent.In this status, one of the installation members 46 is not restricted bythe positioning member 12 and all of the installation members 46 areshifted from the reception portions 20, 21 of the openings 14, 15 to theopen portions 18, 19. Therefore, the installation members 46 are removedfrom the openings 14, 15.

As mentioned above, when the chassis 44 on the rail 10 is installed to arack (not shown), the chassis 44 is protected by the positioning member12 which bears the impact from one of the installation members 46 orfrom outside of the rail 10. The mutual contact between the secondcontact portion 28 of the restriction portion 26 and the first contactportion 16 of the rail 10, the restriction portion 26 of the positioningmember 12 and the resilient arm 24 are prevented from being permanentlydeformed and damaged.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art thatfurther embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

1. A positioning mechanism for a quick release device of a slideassembly, comprising: a rail having an opening defined in the rail and afirst contact portion located adjacent to the opening, the openinghaving an open potion and a reception portion which communicates withthe open portion, and a positioning member having a base, a resilientarm, a restriction portion and a second contact portion, the positioningmember being fixed to the rail by the base and located corresponding tothe opening, the resilient arm connected between the base and therestriction portion, the resilient arm movable away from the rail tochange position of the restriction portion, the restriction portionhaving a first contact end located corresponding to the receptionportion, the second contact portion connected to the restrictionportion, an enclosed area being defined between the first contact endand the reception portion, the second contact portion contacting thefirst contact portion of the rail.
 2. The positioning mechanism asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the first contact portion is one of a holeand a recessed area, the second contact portion is a protrusion, thesecond contact portion is inserted into the first contact portion. 3.The positioning mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the firstcontact portion is a protrusion, the second contact portion is one of ahole and a recessed area, the first contact portion is inserted into thesecond contact portion.
 4. The positioning mechanism as claimed in claim1, wherein the first contact portion is a protrusion and the secondcontact portion is a protrusion, the first contact portion contacts thesecond contact portion.
 5. The positioning mechanism as claimed in claim1, wherein the restriction portion has a bent plate.
 6. The positioningmechanism as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bent plate has a secondcontact end and an operation end, the second contact end is locatedcorresponding to the first contact end of the restriction portion andthe operation end is located corresponding to the second contact end. 7.The positioning mechanism as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bent platehas a protrusion located adjacent to the operation end and a gap isdefined between the protrusion and a surface of the restriction portion.8. The positioning mechanism as claimed in claim 6, wherein a window isdefined between the resilient arm and the restriction portion and thewindow is located corresponding to the operation end of the bent plate.